CBSE Assessment of Speaking and Listening Skills (ASL)

Class XI Code XI-L-04
Audio scripts and Answer key
Time: 45 min Max Marks: 20

Task 1    5 marks

You will hear five short extracts of people talking about positive thinking. Read the
statements given in your worksheet, then listen to the extracts and match each statement
A–G to each speaker 1–5. There are two statements you do not need.
You will hear the recordings twice.

Speaker 1
I think it’s yoga that helps me stay positive. I never believed what was said about its benefits
until I began practising it myself. While it has built my flexibility and muscle tone, the best
benefits I feel have been to my mind. I used to suffer from a sleep disorder that kept me
awake all night. This drove me to yoga. Deep breathing cleared my mind and relaxed me
totally. I enjoy better focus and concentration and face challenges calmly and sensibly.
Speaker 2
The perfect analogy is to compare the mind to a garden. Both need constant care and
monitoring or they can become a wilderness beyond control. If you tend it with beautiful
plants, it will be a place of beauty and comfort. Similarly, if you fill your mind with positive
thoughts, your mind will be peaceful and relaxed. You will lead a happy and prosperous life.
If neglected, then negative thoughts, like weeds, will creep in and affect your peace of mind.
Speaker 3
“Show me your friends and I will tell you who you are,” said a wise man. And I think he is
absolutely right. Good friends can form your mind and character. If you surround yourself
with positive people who always see a rainbow behind the clouds, you will automatically
think on the same lines. You can break the negative spiral of worry or fear by talking to a
friend who puts things in perspective and gives you constructive advice and support.
Speaker 4
If ever there was a pessimistic person who walked the earth, it was me. I always felt I was
the victim. I blamed everything and everybody else but myself. Luckily, I was able to check
this negative trend. I realised it was my attitude that needed to change. Was my life really half empty or half full? Weren’t there blessings I could count in my life? Of course, it was not an
overnight change but I took responsibility and worked on my attitude to life.
Speaker 5
Did you know that it takes more muscles to frown than to smile? What a difference it makes
to see a happy face than a grumpy one, right? A smile can certainly change anyone’s mood
and relieve stress. So it’s good to try and see something funny in your daily routine and
chuckle over it to yourself. And if you can spread the good feelings, then share it with others
and make them enjoy the ridiculous. See how popular you become in your circle of friends!

Task 2   6 marks

You will hear a boy and a girl talking about their career choices. Read the sentences
given in your worksheet, then listen to their conversation and choose ‘a’ or ‘b’ or ‘c’
for each sentence.
You will hear the recording twice.

Girl: Hello, Ashok! How are you? The Board exams are almost done, aren’t they?

Boy: Hello, Keya! Yes! Just one more to go and then I’m free!

Girl: So, what are you planning to do after your Board exams, Ashok?

Boy: Well, I want to continue in sports. Now that I’m a national level archery champion, it’s
my dream to represent India at the Olympics. I’ve been training since I was ten years old, you
know. And I’ve enjoyed every bit of it! Some people take up sports as a career for easy money
and fame but I have a passion for it. What are your plans for the future, Keya?

Girl: Oh! I want to study law. I’m good at public speaking and have strong analytical skills.
However, my parents want me to be a doctor or an IT professional. They think that law is
dominated by men and is too demanding a profession for girls.
I know it’s a challenging profession and requires intelligence, presence of mind and lots and
lots of hard work. But I’m prepared for that. In fact, I would like to take up cases in support of the rights of citizens. But most importantly, for women and their cause.

Boy: That’s great, Keya! I’m sure you’ll be a successful lawyer. No one can ever win a debate
against you in school!

Girl: (laughs) Thanks! Tell me, Ashok. Are your parents willing to send you to a sports
training institute?

Boy: Not at the moment! My parents don’t want me to take up sports as a career. They think
sport has a risky future. I don’t blame them. It’s not easy to become famous in an individual sport like archery! In a regular job, you can work till you’re sixty, whereas, a sportsman has
to retire as soon as he loses his fitness or his form. He can’t support a family if his career in
sports ends abruptly. Now, if I were as good at cricket…(laughs) that would be a different
story!

Girl: (laughs) Of course! But I don’t agree entirely with you. Life doesn’t need to stop after
retirement, you know. You can open your own academy or become a professional trainer…
It’s really unfortunate, isn’t it? We are such a large country yet we have only a handful of
successful sportsmen and women.

Boy: Yes, that’s true. I think it’s more because we don’t take sports training seriously.
We have very few world class training institutes with professional coaches. The fees
for specialised coaching is so high that only a handful can afford it. I wish we had more
sponsors to bear the training expenses. But things are changing…the development of sports
infrastructure and the training of national champions is slowly picking up. And it’s showing in
our performances at international sports meets.

Girl: Hmmm…but we still have a long way to go! I have to go now, Ashok. Nice talking to
you. All the best to you! I hope you can convince your parents and pursue your dreams. Bye!

Boy: Thanks, Keya! Good luck to you too!
Task 3    4 marks

You will hear a student talk about the right attitude to life. Read the statements given
in your worksheet, then listen to the extract and choose four of the options A–G which
are correct. Write the correct letters in the blank boxes provided. You will hear the
recording twice.

Which FOUR of the following statements does the speaker believe to be true?

Hello everyone!

For today’s peer meeting, I was asked to share a few experiences that have shaped my attitude
to life. Believe me, it’s a story worth sharing.

Let me be frank—I wasn’t always the perfect student. In fact, I was the perfect rebel! They
say negative thoughts make one negative. That was so true where I was concerned. I had to
argue about everything. I couldn’t listen, understand or do as I was told. I believed that life
was so easy for my elder brother whereas I…I had problems that always weighed me down…

condemned me to misery. I felt even my pet dog Chip preferred my brother to me!

One day, I spoke to my brother. How did he remain so cheerful while I always felt miserable?
What trick did he know that made Chip like him more than me?

My brother looked at me. “Do you want to carry a pebble or a boulder all your life?” he asked
me. “Do you want to blame me, Chip, or everybody else but you? Choose now!” he insisted.

“Choose NOW and even Chip will know the difference,” he challenged.

I looked at Chip and whistled at him. Was it really about negative energy? I whistled and
tossed a pebble in the air. Chip was up in a second. Just like that. Positive action…positive
reaction.

I used this energy to beat restless, anxious, or lazy states of mind. “Choose now! Choose
right!” I kept telling myself whenever I felt tense or cornered. And I began to smile…

Somebody once told me, “It’s worse losing your smile than your wallet!” It’s true, you know.
I’ve seen how my decisions have changed my life. The right attitude is in your hands, friends.
You can be a burden to others or a source of light and inspiration. It’s up to you. Choose now!
Choose right!

Thank you.

Task 4      5 marks

You will hear two students, a boy and a girl, debating the issue of restrictions on the
use of private vehicles. Listen to the debate and complete the sentences with one or two
words only. You will hear the recording twice.

 

Boy: Good morning! Today, I stand before the house to speak on the topic ‘Do we need
restrictions on the use of private vehicles?’

There is no ambiguity in my stand. Yes, we do. We need to do it fast and we need to do it now.
Traffic congestion and increasing pollution levels have become a matter of grave concern
in our cities and towns. Unless steps are taken to fight this, the quality of life of the average
citizen is sure to be affected. Traffic jams are a nightmare in metropolitan cities. They disrupt
normal life, extend working hours and cause unnecessary stress. They are mainly responsible
for increasing incidents of road rage and road accidents.
Steps must be taken to restrict the number of cars on our roads, as is being done in other
countries like Singapore, Mexico, Greece and China. In fact, not only should we discourage
the use of private vehicles, we should also introduce a ban on new car purchases.

Girl: Good morning, friends! I am surprised that my dear friend can even suggest such an
idea in today’s scenario. We cannot place restrictions on the purchase and use of private
vehicles. In fact, I strongly believe personal transport has become an absolute necessity. It
is no longer a luxury of the rich and famous. As cities are growing, the distance between
people’s homes and workplaces is also increasing. This creates a greater dependency on transport.
Moreover, flexible work hours give people the option of travelling after the morning rush
hour, and this eases congestion on the roads. So, why should we think of restricting private
vehicles?

I agree with my opponent that traffic problems are a cause for concern but better planning
with newer and better roads, as well as staggered school and work timings, can address the
issue.
Boy: My worthy opponent thinks that better planning is the perfect solution. To what extent?
And for how long?
We have constructed so many flyovers and launched a costly metro service too, but the traffic
hasn’t eased. The addition of new cars every day only adds to our woes. And, have you
thought about the huge oil imports that damage India’s economy just to meet our transport
needs?
Our road systems are already overburdened. A prosperous middle class and the availability
of affordable cars are only going to make things worse. The use of private vehicles must be
restricted. And the time for that is NOW!
Girl: My worthy opponent is absolutely right in worrying about the consequences of rising
traffic. But better planning also means improving the public transport system, increasing car
parking charges and raising taxes on cars. Why can’t we encourage the use of bicycles or
make car pools more popular? That’s the best way forward.

The problem is global but the solutions can be local. We can find our own answers to tackle
the traffic menace. And the answers can be found without restrictions on private vehicles.

CBSE Assessment of Speaking and Listening Skills (ASL)

Class XI Code XI-L-04
LISTENING TEST
Time: 45 min Max. Marks: 20
Task 1 5 marks

Statements

A. Helping others in need can make you feel better.
B. It’s pointless feeling sorry for yourself all the time.
C. Meditation can control and steer your mind the right way.
D. Laughter can uplift your spirits and others’ as well.
E. Happy thoughts like blossoms can uplift the mind.
F. Reading positive quotes every day works like a tonic.
G. The company you keep can shape your personality.
Task 2     6 marks

You will hear a boy and a girl talking about their career choices. Read the sentences
below, then listen to their conversation carefully and choose ‘a’ or ‘b’ or ‘c’ for each
sentence. You will hear the recording twice.

 

1. The boy’s interest in sports
a. is a recent pursuit.
b. started at an early age.
c. is just a hobby.
2. The girl wants to take up law as a career to
a. work for the poor.
b. protect children.
c. assist women.
3. The boy’s parents are against sports as a career as
a. success is unpredictable.
b. the earnings are poor.
c. the training is unaffordable.
4. The girl feels a career in sports
a. can continue after retirement.
b. depends on its popularity.
c. requires family support.
5. According to the boy, success in sports depends on
a. personal motivation and willpower.
b. good health and fitness.
c. sustained, expert training.
6. The girl believes that India’s accomplishments in sports
a. are commendable.
b. need to improve.
c. are respectable.

Task 3    4 marks

You will hear a student talk about the right attitude to life. Read the statements below,
then listen to the extract and choose four of the options A–G which are correct. Write
the correct letters in the blank boxes provided.
You will hear the recording twice.

Which FOUR of the following statements are true?
A. The speaker used to be an angry and defiant person.
B. The speaker was hurt his pet dog preferred his friends to him.
C. The speaker’s brother motivated him to change his attitude to life.
D. The speaker chose to ignore the problems to make them go away.
E. An optimistic approach can defeat negative outcomes.
F. Losing money is as worrisome as losing one’s sense of humour.
G. The speaker’s choices built his confidence and popularity.

Task 4    5 marks

You will hear two students, a boy and a girl, debating the issue of restrictions on the
use of private vehicles. Listen to the debate and complete the sentences with one or two
words only. You will hear the recording twice.

1. The boy suggests a _______________ _______________ buying new cars.
2. The girl believes expanding cities have raised the _____________ on cars.
3. The girl feels improved roads and different _______________ for schools and offices
will help.
4. According to the boy, India’s enormous _______________ _______________ are
affecting its economy.
5. The girl wants bicycles and _______________ _______________ to be
popularised.